[Soundbite] Mark Ferrari on gatekeepers and a cancelled X-Men game

November 4th, 2017
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11 mins 55 secs

About this Episode

The story of a cancelled X-Men TV controller game, as told by former LucasArts illustrator Mark Ferrari, who is a world-renowned and innovative pixel artist responsible for popularising multiple graphical techniques — including dithering, colour cycling, and palette shifting. And an inside look at the downside of having marketing-focused gatekeepers in charge of what products hit store shelves.

You can listen to the episode I made on Mark's graphical innovations, which doesn't include this story, at lifeandtimes.games. And you can see a few screenshots of the cancelled X-Men game at his website, markferrari.com. It's under 8-bit Game Art Volume 2.

Mark worked recently on a spiritual successor to Maniac Mansion called Thimbleweed Park, along with other LucasArts alums Ron Gilbert, Gary Winnick, and David Fox. If you buy the iOS version via the link lifeandtimes.games/thimbleweedpark, I get a small cut of the sale price. It's also available on PC, Mac, Linux, Android, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.

Episode Links

Thimbleweed Park on the App Store — A brand new adventure game from Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick, creators of the classics Monkey Island and Maniac Mansion! Play as five characters to uncover the surreal mystery of Thimbleweed Park -- a town where a dead body is the least of your problems.